A Hard Lesson In Obedience
by Cryssy-miu
Summary: We all know that GIR has never been very good at obeying orders, but when one misdeed could have really cost him, Zim is forced to resort to something he never thought he'd do.  A one-shot family fluff  R&R  Takes place before "What Will Be, Will Be"


_(WARNING: This fic does contain corporal punishment, so if it offends you, don't read.)_

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Zim paced back in forth in one spot in front of the tv, biting his lip and pulling at his antennae. "Where _is_ he? Where are _they?_ AUGH, Zim can not take this mind...torture!" he cried, spinning towards the computer. "Computer, how long has Minimoose been gone for?"

_Ten minutes, sir.._

"That's way too long!" Zim shrieked.

_...Sir, the moose would not have even_ reached _the city yet.._

"...It's still too long!"

_Sigh._

The irken hurried towards the window to try and see out of it. _That stupid robot, what was he thinking? I strictly told him that going outside – especially the_ city _was strictly forbidden! _He sighed. Well, why did he expect GIR to ever follow his rules? _Oh, what shall the verdict be this time? Unhook that stupid tv? No, then he just sneaks into the lab to watch his shows on the computer... Take away his cupcakes and treats? No, he always has some stashed in his head, anyways! Put him...in timeout? Please, I did that once and he just laughed, watching the wall, thinking it was a game... _the inevitable came to mind. _ Oh, irk, no, I can't... I've never..._ But it was all he could think of. _GIR could have been killed tonight.._

"I brought you back a slushy!" came a happy chirp from the doorway. GIR toddled in happily, completely blissfully unaware of just how angry Zim was, and just how worried he made him. Minimoose followed suit, hovering above GIR's head and sighing, _I found him wandering an alley, drinking his slushy._

Zim spun around, gasping when he saw the little robot. "GIR!" He hurried over to him. "Are you alright?" He checked, making sure there were no questionable marks or injuries on the small android.

GIR giggled, watching Zim whip his head around him to examine him thoroughly. "Master, you look like yer about to eat me!"

_No, but I'm about to do something ELSE to you!_ "I'm making sure you're okay; you were gone for so long." He growled, a dangerous growl. "And you weren't even supposed to be gone."

"Sow'wy," GIR perked, "the hobo and me got into a game of cards, an' we lost track'a time."

Zim gave one of the heaviest sighs, and firmly took a hold of the SIR unit's arm, dragging him towards the elevator. There was heavy stone silence the whole ride down the elevator. Minimoose hovered over their master's shoulder in awkward mental discomfort from the unbearable silence, wishing Zim would say _something._ They reached the lab, and Zim glowered at the giant digits painted over his computer screen, reading "2:30 am". "GIR, do you realize how long you were gone for?"

"A few minutes?" GIR tried, sipping on his own slushy.

"Try _three hours!_" Zim barked, glaring daggers at the oblivious robot. "Minimoose, bring my chair over here!" he ordered swiftly. The moose's eyes widened slightly as he obediently did as he was told, sliding the cushioned lab chair right behind Zim. "Now leave us," Zim commanded, "and for the love of irk, bolt the windows, would you?" He cast another glare to the perky little SIR unit in front of him.

His master's face was as stern as could be, yet it didn't register in the young android's brain – or what he had of one – that he was in more trouble then he'd ever been in. He only giggled, looking around the room, his eyes chasing small flecks of dust that floated in the dusty lab room.

Zim momentarily rolled his eyes, before getting GIR's attention with a curt snap, "GIR!"

GIR's head snapped back to Zim, obediently sitting in front of the angered alien and smiling.

Zim scratched at his head, leaning forward in the chair and deciding how to start the lecture. "What on IRK did you think you were doing tonight?"

The robot giggled innocently, rocking back and forth on his feet. "Well, I went to Krazy taco, and then I met a doggy, 'n I shared my taco with the doggy! An' then we met this niiiice old hobo, and we gave him some too!"he chirped, finishing his story with a big grin on his face.

Zim spoke through clenched teeth, "You _know_ you're not to go off into the city in the middle of the night!" the irken snapped, "it's terribly dangerous at night! You don't know _who _is walking around!"

"The nice old hobo, and cute little puppy!" he grinned, goo-filly.

"ARGH!" Zim yanked at his antennae, before firmly telling himself to calm down. "You could have been hurt, or even killed tonight!" He sighed, turmoil and reluctance leaking in. "And I'm-I'm going to make sure that does not happen again."

GIR shrugged, expecting Zim would futilely twist a few circuits in his head to make him work better, and waited to be told to lie on the repair table in the middle of the lab. "How you gonna do that?"

"...By spanking you."

The smile instantly vanished as his master's words sunk in. "But...what?" He backed up, visibly holding his metal bottom, covered by the green felt of his dog disguise. Oh, he knew what a spanking was. He had seen it once on a tv show; a child had come home to his mother with a bad report card. His mother had sat in a chair, pulled the boy up over her lap, and... "No!" he cried, eyes moistening.

Zim sighed a little, shifting in his chair. "Well, it seems you know what that is.."

"No, Master, please!" he pleaded, tears filling his eyes. "I don't wanna spankin'!"

The irken sighed, scratching his head a little more. "Well, you're going to get one. Now, you know better than to wander outside at night! ESPECIALLY in the city!" He picked up the trembling android, and pulled off his little dog outfit, laying the robot over his lap.

GIR whimpered, tears still streaming. His master wouldn't really spank him, would he? No, Zim would probably set him down at the last minute with a warning and dismiss him. Oh, what had he gotten himself into this time? He was in _big_ trouble...

It was uncomfortable to be on his tummy over Zim's knees, with his little bottom up. That discomfort turned to a terrible sting as the robot got his first taste of old fashioned discipline. _SMACK!_ His master's hand was forceful, strong, and calloused from so many years in the military. "O-ow!"

Zim shifted him a bit in his lap and gave him an even harder smack, right on the centre of his tiny bum. _SMACK!_

"Owww!" The robot held back a sob, lurching forward in Zim's lap. His bottom may have been made of metal, but it still seemed to have an equal sensitivity to a child's. He kicked his legs, but was firmly held to Zim's knees by his back. "'M-'m sorry! I'll n-never go o-outside at night a-again!"

"Oh, I'm sure you won't," Zim agreed, landing another stinging smack in the same place the first spank hit. Spanking the young robot was anything but a pleasure to him. Even though this punishment was nowhere _near_ as severe as it would have been had GIR pulled this stunt in the irken military, he still hated doing this. Of course, if a sore bottom was what it took to keep GIR safe, alive, and with him, then so be it. He winced as GIR burst into tears from a particular hard smack, wriggling and kicking to get away. The irken shifted him back into his lap and landed three more hard smacks to his tiny bottom.

"Owwww!" GIR wailed, sobbing and struggling hard. His strength was no match for Zim's – an irken having spent his life in the military, and more stinging spanks rained down on his metal rump. "Owwie! P-please, no more!" he sobbed. "It hurts!"

"Yes, I know it does," Zim sighed, bringing his hand down once more. "It's supposed to hurt, and help you remember what will happen when you do this again."

GIR was bawling, and futilely struggling. His little bottom as sore as could be and it didn't seem Zim was about to let up. _How long is he going to keep this up?_ he inwardly sobbed, gripping onto Zim's pant leg and trying to get to the floor. "Owwwwie, Master!" he wailed, kicking desperately and trying to get away from the sting of his master's hand. "Pleeease!"

"We're almost done here, GIR," Zim said over the robot's cries. He landed three more very hard smacks, causing the android to further howl, and released his grip on his back, dropping his hand.

GIR was sobbing nearly incoherently, never had anything hurt like that before. He was sure Zim had spanked him a good forty times at least, even though it had only been shy of ten smacks. Of course, he was accustomed to no punishment or a mere privilege taken away, and had never expected a spanking, or that his master was so strong! It took him a while to realize that his master was lightly patting his back, which somewhat calmed him very slowly.

"These rules are set for a reason, GIR," Zim told him gently, continuing the soothing patting, occasionally rubbing now and then. "It's for the sake of your safety. We don't know what kind of humans roam these filthy streets at night. You could have been hurt, or even killed tonight." He instead smoothed a hand lightly over the SIR unit's little antenna. "I don't ever want you to do this again. If you do, the punishment will be harder."

The android nodded, sobbing softly and curling into Zim as he was gently picked up. "O-okay.. 'm s-s-sorr-" he broke off with a loud sob, and Zim cupped a hand around his head, letting GIR cry into him.

"Calm down," Zim murmured, trying to follow in what his Mamin had taught him. "I'm not mad anymore.." He let GIR cling to him for as long as he needed to, not making his usual fuss if he was touched by the android or anyone else. "I bet you're tired now, aren't you?" A subtle nod was his answer. "Well, go on and lie down. Sleep for a bit; it'll get rid of some of the soreness."

The clingy and tearful little robot just buried deeper into Zim's chest with a little sob, nestling more into Zim's soft invader's uniform.

The irken rolled his eyes in slight irritation, getting up off his lab chair and cradling him against his chest, walking to the small lab couch where GIR sometimes went to lie down. He laid him down, taking care to lie him on his tummy, and covered him with a light sheet, even taking the liberty to tuck GIR's rubber piggy into his arms.

The android was sucking on his fist adorably, making little noises, and Zim almost smiled endearingly, watching him. He neither noticed – or if he did – didn't care that he had put his _servant_ to bed like a toddler, but over these years, had already come to accept the rambunctious little robot into his life as more than just a simple slave. _I really have gone soft,_ Zim though with a roll of his eyes, and a slight chuckle, and went to the kitchen to lay some cushions on one of the chairs at the table for breakfast the next morning.

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_(Something that I actually role played with a friend. Well, we role played the second time GIR did this, and I just decided to finally write the floating idea down. I can see Zim being a stern corporal punishment kind if he ever disciplined. You will notice that in my fics, the kids - Talia and GIR - sometimes receive a few swats. Yes, I outta update that fic. I suppose I'll do it now then.)_


End file.
